Many current e-mail systems allow users to create distribution groups or. lists. A distribution list is a collection of e-mail addresses that are represented in an e-mail program as a single e-mail address. When a message is addressed to a distribution list, the message is sent to each e-mail recipient in the list. The Microsoft Exchange e-mail system is an example of an e-mail system that allows users to use distribution lists.
While distribution lists are a great convenience, they require a user to initially enter the names and e-mail addresses of individual e-mail recipients. In many situations, this can be a significant amount of work. In other situations, it might be desired to select recipients based on properties that are not readily available or discernable to the user, such as geographical location. Current e-mail programs do not aid in selecting e-mail recipients based on such properties.